The explanation lies in the increasingly busy football calendar. Last season, no fewer than eight (!) Premier League clubs qualified for European football. The new structure of European club competitions, with more matches and longer group stages, further increased the burden on top clubs. A number of adjustments to the FA Cup also forced the calendar planners to make difficult choices.
On top of that is the strict English TV contract. This dictates that 33 of the 38 match days must be completed during the weekend. This year, Boxing Day will therefore be missed.
Is Christmas football in the Premier League dead and buried then? No, next year December 26 will fall on a Saturday, so the problem will not arise and a classic match day will fit perfectly into the weekend.
